Mine-rail fastener and antispreader



Jan. 1, 1924? C. E. FOWLER MINE RAIL FASTENER AND ANTISPREADEH Original Filed Dec. 13.

1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Jan, 19' 1924 C. E. FOWLER MINE RAIL FASTENER AND ANTISPREADER Original Filed Dec. 13, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Zl/zifinss 6.5

A'IITORNEY.

Patented Jan. l, 1924.

UNHTED STATES lhdldfllll PATENT @FFEE.

CHARLES E. FOWLER, 0F ALLAIS, KENTUCKY.

MINE-RAIL FASTENEB AND ANTISPREADER.

Application filed December 13, 1922, Serial No. 606,569. Renewed November 22, 1923.

To all whom. it" may concern.

Be it known that I, CiIAnLEs E. F owLnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allais, in the county of Perry and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Rail Fasteners and Antispreaders, of which the following is a specification.

In coal car track-ways employed in coal mines or the like, it is the general custom to lay the last two rails of the track-way upon their sides and within the main track- Way, the tread portion of the last rails lying upon the base of the main rails and having close contact with the web portion thereof. These end rails extend back within the permanent rails, and are adapted to be spread forwardly as the coal is worked out, the flanges of the coal car wheels running in the grooves formed by the end rails, i. e., upon the web portion thereof.

Up to the present time, no adequate means has been found to properly secure the end rails to the permanent rails, nor to prevent these rails from spreading.

It is therefore, the primary object of the present invention, to provide a means that will effectively secure the end rails to the permanent rails, and to also prevent these end rails from spreading.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the ac companying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein Figure 1is a cross sectional view of a mine car track-way showing my improved fastening device between the permanent and movable rails.

Figure 2is a fragmentary top plan view of the movable rails, secured between the ends of the permanent rails showing my improved securing means between the rails together with the anti-spreading means for the end rails.

Figure 3is a sectional view through the end rails showing more clearly antispreading device positioned thereon.

Figure 4.is a perspective view of the anti-spreading means per se, the rail securing rackets being removed.

Figure 5-is a perspective view of one of the rail securing brackets for the antispreading means, and

Figure 6is a perspective view of a wedged block employed in connection with the present invention.

In the drawings, 1 designates the rails of the permanent track section, 2 the end rails or the movable track section, and 3 the usual supporting ties therefor.

As shown, the end rails 2 are positioned upon their side and extend backwardly within the rails of the main track section, the tread portion of these end rails being supported upon the base of the main rails and having close contact with the web portions thereof.

The securing means between the rails of the two track sections is designated in its entirety by the numeral 4, and the antispread and anti-creeping means for the movable rails by the numeral 5. The securing means 4: includes a flat-like bar 6, transversely positioned between the rails and engaging therebeneath. This bar 6 is bent inwardly at its ends to provide hooks 7, which engage over the outer side of the base of the rails 1 of the main track section. Slidably spaced inwardly of the base portion of the rails 2 of the movable track section and rigidly secured to the bar 6 by bolt and nut connections 8 are vertical brackets 9. These brackets are slightly inclined so as to extend substantially parallel with the base of the rails 2, and adapted to be driven between these brackets and the said base of the rails 2 are wooden wedge blocks 10. The upper end of each bracket 9 is hooked as at 11, for engaging over the upper edge of the base of the movable rails 2 for preventing vertical movement of the wedges 10 between the brackets and rails.

In View of the above, it will be at once understood that whenever it is desired to move the rails 2 forming the movable track section forwardly for increasing the length of the track-way, the wedge blocks 10 are removed and are again positioned between the brackets 9 and base of the rails 2 when the track-way is extended to the proper length.

The anti-spreading means for the rails 2 includes a fiat-like bar 12 extending transversely between the rails and positioned therebeneath. The outer ends of this bar 12 are hooked as at 13, the inner surface of these hooked ends being shaped substantially as shown in Figures 3 and t so as to conform to the curvature of the tread portion of the rails 2. Connected to the bar 12 by bolt and nut connections 1% are vertical brackets 15, the, bolt and nut connections let being such as to allow the said brackets to be swung towards or away from the base of the rails 2, it being understood that these brackets are positioned to have close contact with the base portion oi these rails when the same are swung inwardly. The inner surface of each of the brackets 15 is rounded as at 16, and more clearly shown in Figure 5, for permitting a swinging movement of these brackets upon the bar 12 In View of the above description, it will at once be apparent that I have devised an effectual means for rigidly connecting the end rails 1 of the permanent track section to therails 2 of the movable tracksection', and further, an adequate means for preventing any spreading of the rails 2 of the movable track section.

While I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

the brackets and said bases of theend rails.

In testimony whereof I inf-y signature.

CHARLES E. FOWLER. 

